Step attachment for ladders



Feb. 28, 1939. M. R. MYERS 2,143,958

STEP ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Filed April 5. 1938 t Mar/in B. Ayers /mvfwa Paw Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a new and improved step attachment for extension ladders and other ladders having rungs, permitting painters, fruit pickers and other workmen to stand comfortably 5' on the step, thereby averting excessive tiring of the feet and other parts of the body now commonly occasioned by standing on ladder rungs.

The principal object of the invention is to pro vide an attachment of extremely simple and in- 10 expensive form which may be quickly and easily applied, moved to any desired position with ease, will not support the users weight sufllciently in front of the stiles to cause danger of the ladder rolling over, will permit the user to lean against 15 the rungs above the step for stability, and will not be in the users way when ascending and descending the ladder or when stepping onto and from the step.

A further object is to provide a. novel attach- 20 ment which is useable to equal advantage on narrow or wide ladders or upon the relatively narrow and wide upper and lower sections of exsion ladders.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion 30 of a ladder with the improved step connected with one of the rungs thereof.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view.

In the drawing above briefly described, a preferred construction has been illustrated, and while this construction will be rather specifically ekplained, it is to be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Two metal hanger frames ID are provided, the upper end of each frame being provided with a hook H to engage a ladder rung l2. Secured to the hanger frames III, is a step I! to extend between the ladder stiles I 4. This step is provided with two stile-abutting arms I5 which are relao tively long and narrow and project endwise from the front corners of said step. These arms abut the front edges of the stiles l4 and prevent the step from passing rearwardly entirely through the latter, while permitting said step to occupy a sufficiently rearward position to be out of the way when ascending and descending the ladder, and when stepping onto and from the step. Preferably, the step I3 is of a width for reception between the stiles of a very narrow ladder, but the 55 arms ii are of such length that they may abut the stiles of much wider ladders when the step attachment is used thereon. Thus, the attachment manufactured in one standard size will be useable in connection with various widths of ladders, and in all instances, the step will not inter- 5 fere with the workman when ascending or descending the ladder, or when stepping onto and from the step, the users weight will not be supported in front of the stiles in such manner as to cause danger of the ladder rolling over, the user may lean against the rungs above the step for stability which is of particular advantage in wind, and the attachment may be quickly and easily moved to any desired height and engaged with a selected rung without the necessity of releasing any clamping devices or the like.

In the preferred construction, each hanger framev I0 is in the form of an open triangle, the front and rear bars 16 and ll of which are at acute angles to the base bar l8, said rear bar 20 I! being somewhat shorter than the front bar IS in order that the step may be about level with the ladder supported in a normal inclined position. Each frame [0 and its hook I I may well be formed from a single metal bar bent in the manner shown, one end of the bar being bent rearwardly and downwardly to provide the hook H and the other end of the bar being secured by a bolt, rivet or the like 19 to the shank of the hook. The step l3 passes through the two trlangular frames I 0 and is secured by bolts or rivets 20 to the base bars l8.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while preferred details have*been shown, attemtion may again be invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed. The invention is highly desirable from numerous standpoints and is absolutely safe.

In this connection, attention is invited to the fact that if the rung I! should break near one of the stiles M, the rung underlying the step l3 would catch the latter and thus prevent a serious accident.

I claim:

A step attachment for a ladder, comprising two laterally spaced hanger frames of open triangular form and each having a rigid hook at its apex to engage a ladder rung, both the front and rear side bars of each frame being disposed at an acute angle to the base bar thereof, a step whose ends pass through said frames and are secured upon said base bars thereof, said step being sufficiently short for reception between the stiles of a narrow ladder, and relatively long and narrow stile-abutting arms rigidly connected with said step and projecting endwise from the front corners thereof to prevent the step from passing rearwardly entirely through the ladder while permltting said step to occupy a sumclently rearward position to be out of the way when ascending and descending the ladder, said arms being sufficiently long to abut the stiles of wider ladders also when the attachment is used thereon.

MARTIN R. MYERS. 

